Mutharika chickens out of Zodiak live debate with Chimunthu

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Peter Mutharika has seemingly chickened out of a live debate on Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) with his challenger at the party convention Henry Chimunthu Banda, refusing to respond to an invitation by the radio that would have seen the two square off in a moderated debate.

Zodiak invited Mutharika and Chimunthu Banda, who is also Speaker of Parliament, to a live radio debate, promising an equal amount of time for each speaker.

While Chimunthu Banda formally accepted to the debate, Mutharika has failed to respond to the invitation, according to Zodiak’s Editor Pilirani Phiri.

Phiri said since Mutharika has not accepted to the live debate, the programme has been cancelled.

Peter Mutharika; Silent on debate

He said the debate was aimed at affording the two candidates an opportunity to sell their agenda to the party and the nation at large before the all-important convention scheduled for April 17 to 19.

” We only got confirmation from the Speaker Chimunthu Banda who accepted to take part but we did not have any response from Peter Mutharika,” said Phiri.

DPP holds its national convention in Blantyre on April 17 to 19.

However, Mutharika will be in court for treason trial on April 16 for his alleged role in the aftermath of former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika’s death and the power transition that followed in April 2012.